Young wants answers on Beetham Wastewater Plant litigation

Opposition MP Stuart Young has called on the Government and the current board of the National Gas Company of TT (NGC) to say whether NGC was successful in the litigation against Super Industrial Services (SIS) related to the Beetham Wastewater Plant.

Young did so in a post on his Facebook page. He noted that this particular United National Congress project in 2014–2015 cost NGC “approximately $1 billion in cash, was awarded with significant irregularities and was never completed.”

Young’s queries arose after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, at last week Monday’s UNC meeting, said attorneys billed NGC $42 million for a single case and warned her Government against corruption and inefficiency.

Young asked via Facebook, “Has the arbitration between NGC and SIS been decided in NGC’s favour? Was it found that there were hundreds of millions of dollars in overpayment to SIS for the Beetham Wastewater Plant? Have awards been made in favour of NGC against SIS, and if so, to what value?

“Furthermore, when was the arbitration decision delivered? Given the Government’s thrust for transparency, I look forward to the provision of these answers to the population soonest.”

Energy Minister Roodal Moonilal did not respond to Young’s queries. However, a top NGC spokesman said NGC will issue a statement on the matter today.

In November 2015, NGC ended its March 2014 contract with SIS, and in January 2016 sued SIS to protect assets and recover $400 million advanced before termination. The project was estimated at US$162 million.

Arbitration, initiated in November 2016, was reportedly ongoing up to last week. This was for breach of contract and an overpayment of US$61.5 million, plus costs incurred by NGC arising out of the termination.

The Ministry of Finance’s Investments Division had reportedly said that NGC’s legal bill for the wastewater plant totalled $47,378,210.28, with claims amounting to US$65.5 million.